The present invention relates to gravity undriven roller conveyors wherein articles are moved downwardly along an inclined array of cylindrical rolls that are closely spaced together and extend across substantially the entire width of the conveyor so as to accommodate articles having various bottom configurations such as pallets, boxes, and rimmed containers. The present invention also relates to the control of the speed of articles moving down a conveyor with a brake or retarder.
Undriven gravity rollerway conveyors are well known wherein the articles are supported on elongated cylinders that span substantially the entire width of the conveyor and which rolls are spaced closely together so as to accommodate variously configured bottom surfaces of articles. It is necessary on such conveyors to have the rolls closely spaced together so as to prevent portions of article bottoms from dropping down between rollers so as to prevent movement or require that the conveyor have an unreasonably large inclination that would with respect to other smooth bottom articles result in excess speeds. Various brakes or retarders are known for gravity conveyors that replace rolls or wheels of the conveyor to directly engage the articles, but such would be unsuitable for conveyors of the above type since they would present gaps that would interfere with movement of some articles along the conveyor.